As we move into the cooler months, our cravings often shift toward heartier, more comforting foods. This pearl barley and roasted vegetable bowl delivers on both fronts – it’s wholesome, nourishing, and deeply satisfying. The combination of tender barley, caramelized vegetables, and bright, fresh herbs and lemon makes for a dish that comforts both the body and soul. Keep reading to learn all about the ingredients and easy preparation, as well as creative ways to adapt this simple recipe to suit your tastes.
An Ancient Grain Making a Comeback: The Benefits of Barley
Once a common staple grain, barley has been overshadowed in recent decades by more popular additions like quinoa. But this nutty, chewy cereal grain is well worth revisiting for its stellar nutritional profile and wealth of health benefits.
Barley contains high levels of fiber, which promotes healthy digestion and cholesterol levels. It also packs various essential vitamins and minerals like selenium, copper, tryptophan, and manganese. Some research indicates barley can reduce inflammation, stabilize blood sugar, and lower risk for cardiovascular disease. The fiber and plant nutrients in barley may also offer protection against certain cancers.
This recipe calls for pearl barley, which has been polished to remove the outer bran layer along with some nutrients. Even so, it retains plenty of the original grain’s nutritional value. It also cooks faster than other forms of barley, making it ideal for weeknight meals.
Compared to other popular grains, barley is lower in calories by volume yet keeps you feeling satisfied for hours thanks to all that beneficial fiber. This makes it a smart choice for weight management or anyone looking to cut back on refined carbs.
Barley also happens to be naturally gluten-free, meaning it’s safe for those with celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten. Be sure to select bags certified as gluten-free, however, as barley is often processed alongside other grains containing gluten.
Barley also has a low Glycemic Index (GI 30) so its great for people wanting to manage their blood glucose levels.
The Vegetables: Packing Color, Flavor, and Nutrition
In addition to the hearty barley, this recipe calls for an abundance of fresh vegetables roasted to bring out their natural sweetness. Zucchini, bell peppers, and onion provide a spectrum of vivid colors that look as appealing as they taste. Beyond eye appeal and flavor, though, these vegetables add valuable substances to support our health.
Zucchini is rich in vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin A antioxidants such as lutein. Its high water content also helps you feel full.
Bell peppers contain excellent levels of antioxidant vitamins A and C. Red peppers also harbor the antioxidant lycopene, which evidence suggests may protect against certain cancers and heart disease.
Onions provide fiber, vitamin C, folate, and quercetin, a plant compound with anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. They add tons of flavor too!
Roasting coaxes out the sweetness inherent in these vegetables while adding delicious caramelized notes. Spreading them in a single layer on the baking sheet ensures even cooking so the edges get crispy and browned without the insides burning. The high oven heat helps retain more nutrients compared to other cooking methods.
The Spices and Herbs: Flavor Elements with Benefits
This recipe incorporates harissa and smoked paprika along with fresh herbs and lemon. These ingredients add pops of flavor and color while also boosting the overall nutritional value.
Harissa is a North African chili pepper paste bursting with warm heat. Common additions like garlic, cumin, coriander and olive oil bring their own health perks. The capsaicin in peppers may rev up metabolism and torch calories. Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties also accompany harissa’s heat.
Sriracha, red pepper flakes, and chile paste are all good substitutes for harissa, according to The Spice House.
Smoked paprika lends a subtle smoky aroma and reddish hue. Made from smoked chilies, this Spanish spice retains all of the original pepper’s nutrition. That includes vitamins A and E, along with capsaicin. Its eye-catching color and flavor make smoked paprika a fantastic (not to mention easy) way to spice up grains, meats, vegetables and more. A little sprinkling goes a long way.
No shortage of flavor arrives via chopped scallions, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, and optional feta cheese, too. Pungent scallions and garlic contain special sulfur compounds linked with cardiovascular and anti-cancer benefits. Fresh parsley has high vitamin K levels essential for proper blood clotting. Sharp lemon juice brightens the mix while helping you absorb the veggies’ bountiful iron. Salty feta cheese nicely offsets the grains and vegetables in each bite.
As you can see, every component plays an important role in creating this recipe’s complex flavors and nutritional density. Adjust to suit your palate – add more harissa for extra heat, leave off the feta if you prefer it dairy-free and so on. The basic formula still supplies a health-promoting dose of antioxidant-rich plant foods.
Putting It All Together: Pearl Barley with Roasted Vegetables
Part of this recipe’s appeal lies in how easy it is to prepare. Simply boil some pearl barley, chop the vegetables and slide them in the oven, then mix everything together once cooked. Though simple, it yields impressive results you’d expect from a far more labor-intensive dish.
Let’s walk through the full preparation process step-by-step:
- Preheat your oven so it’s nice and hot when the vegetables are ready for roasting.
- Combine the barley with water in a saucepan and simmer gently until tender – about 30-45 minutes. Barley has a wonderfully chewy texture when cooked properly, so taste as you go until reaching your desired level of doneness. Properly cooked barley should be tender with a bit of bite left.
- While the barley simmers, prep the vegetables and spread them evenly on a baking sheet. Season with spices, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Once the oven finishes preheating, bake the veggies for around 25 minutes. Mix them halfway through for even cooking. You’ll know they’re done when slightly shrunken and browned around the edges.
- When both barley and vegetables finish cooking, combine them in a serving bowl along with the scallions, garlic, parsley and lemon juice. The hot barley will wilt the scallions and blend all the components together.
- Finish by drizzling with extra virgin olive oil and topping with feta and/or pine nuts if desired. The toasty nuts offer a nice crunch to contrast the tender ingredients.
You can serve this fresh and warm straight from the oven, or let it come to room temperature for the flavors to meld further. It keeps well refrigerated for meal prep throughout the week too. The varied textures and flavors in each bite will leave you forgetting how simple it was to prepare something so utterly delicious!
Getting Creative: Ideas for Adapting Pearl Barley with Roasted Vegetables
Part of the fun with a basic recipe like this lies in experimenting with seasonal ingredients, different grain and vegetable combinations, mix-ins and toppings.
Try swapping in wheat berries, farro or brown rice instead of barley as your base grain. Hearty fall squashes like delicata or acorn pair wonderfully roasted with the other veggies. In the summer, use fresh corn cut from the cob along with zucchini and peppers.
Stir in beans or lentils after cooking the barley to turn this into more of a one-pot meal. Chickpeas, black beans and French green lentils all work nicely. Or fold in cooked quinoa before serving for extra protein.
Vary up the herbs with cilantro, basil, mint or dill. Change out the lemon for lime juice or red wine vinegar. Add spices like cumin, curry powder or chili powder to change the flavor profile.
In terms of add-ins, the possibilities are endless. Toasted nuts or seeds, dried fruit, shredded cheese, roasted chickpeas and avocado cubes all make excellent toppings. You could also dollop this mix over leafy greens for a heartier salad.
However you choose to adapt this basic formula, it makes for a fast, healthy dinner with minimal effort. Batch cooking the components also ensures you have ready-made building blocks for grain bowls and salads most of the week.
The flexibility of grain- and vegetable-based dishes offers nearly infinite possibilities. So experiment freely with whatever ingredients inspire you!
The Key Takeaways: Healthy, Hearty Comfort Food
This pearl barley and roasted vegetable medley truly brings together the best of comfort food and clean, nourishing ingredients. It leans on a mix of satisfying whole grains, farm fresh produce, anti-inflammatory spices and herbs – all roasted or simmered to bring out maximum flavor.
The diversity of tastes, colors, textures not to mention nutritional value makes every bite special. You get the deep nutty sweetness of barley balanced by juicy vegetables, pungent garlic and scallions, briny feta and toasty nuts. Each component complements while adding its own personality so no two bites taste the same.
Yet for all its complexities of flavor, this feels like an utterly cozy and familiar dish. Perhaps it’s the reminiscent blend of chewy grains and savory vegetables. Or the evocative hints of spice and herbaceousness we associate with the best home cooking.
More than providing comfort, though, this recipe nourishes. Each ingredient contributes substantial vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant nutrients to support optimal wellness. As cooler weather sinks in, dishes like this can help shore up defenses and provide energy when you need it most.
The preparation requires only basic kitchen skills without tedious steps, making this an easy weeknight dinner. Or use it as inspiration for grain bowls throughout the fall and winter months when heartier plant-based fare just feels right. However you incorporate it into your cooking repertoire, consider keeping the basic formula handy.
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Pearl Barley with Roasted Vegetables
A Mediterranean-style recipe is full of flavor, texture, and health benefits
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Ingredients
1 cup (163 g) dry pearl barley, washed
2 whole zucchini squash, diced
1 red bell pepper, cored, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons harissa spice or baharat, divided
¾ teaspoon (1.95 g) smoked paprika, divided
Early Harvest Greek extra virgin olive oil
2 scallions (green onions), trimmed and chopped (both whites and greens)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 oz (56 g) chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh squeezed lemon juice
Feta cheese, to taste (optional)
Toasted pine nuts, to taste (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Place pearl barley and 2 ½ cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low. Cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until the barley is cooked through (should be tender but maintains some chew).
While barley is cooking, place diced vegetables (zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion) on a large baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper, 1 ½ teaspoon harissa spice, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Toss to coat. Spread evenly in one layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the heated oven for about 25 minutes.
When barley is ready, drain any excess water. Season with salt, pepper, ½ teaspoon harissa spice, and ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika. Toss to combine.
Transfer cooked barley to a large mixing bowl. Add roasted veggies, chopped scallions, garlic, and fresh parsley. Dress with lemon juice and a good drizzle of Early Harvest extra virgin olive oil. Toss. If you like, top with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts.
Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.
Notes
Prepare Ahead: If not serving immediately, it’s best not to dress with lemon juice and olive oil until just before serving. Also, add feta and pine nuts when ready to serve. It can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in a tight-lid container.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
